Early plans for brew pub and apartment complex weighed by Planning Board

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- The city planning board reviewed preliminary plans for projects that are expected to move forward in a meeting consisting of only two votes but lots of feedback.

Broadway brew pub

The Planning Board got its first look at early plans for a brew pub proposed for Broadway between Saratoga Shoe Depot and the apartment building south of it, which sits next to the Adelphi Hotel.

The Martell Brothers' Brewing Co. would sit back from Broadway and behind the apartment building, but could be accessed from Broadway through a gap in the storefronts.

Advertisement

According to the proposed site plan, a courtyard with trees, shrubs and tables would be created between the sidewalk and the pub.

On Broadway, an iron fence bearing the name of the pub would be the only indication of a frosty brew waiting only feet away.

Part owners Chris Martell and George DePiro presented their preliminary sketch to the Planning Board in an attempt to quell some concerns brought up by Sheila Parker, the owner of their potential neighbor, the Adelphi Hotel. The move was praised by members of the board.

"We're trying to build a national brand," Martell said. "You can't build a national brand with a great reputation if you don't have a great reputation in your own backyard."

Some of Parker's concerns are potential noise from musical performances and odors produced by the brewing process.

"This is going to impact me tremendously," Parker said. "This is going to be right on Broadway in Saratoga -- a brewery."

DePiro, the brewmaster of the Albany Pump Station, assured Parker that the odor "is not at all offensive," comparing it to oatmeal, and said the portion of brewing that tends to smell at all only lasts 90 minutes per batch, which he said will happen once or twice a week.

As for Parker's concerns about the music, Martell said it would be jazz, acoustic and otherwise quiet. "We want a place where people can relax, a place where people can talk back-and-forth without shouting," which he said is lacking in the city.

He also agreed to work with Parker to attempt to mitigate any further concerns she has, including buffering compressors for the air-conditioning system, limiting the times entertainment will take place and exploring ways to stifle any odors from the brewing.

Planning Board member Amy Durland said she was "really impressed with (Martell's) narrative," and said they were clearly "making an effort to meet people halfway."

Van Wagner told them to "keep up the good work," pointing out that there were numerous concessions made to assuage neighbors' concerns.

DePiro said the plan will be moving forward, though he was unsure about the next steps with the Planning Board. "I'm hoping to be open by next spring," he said, but added that he wouldn't be surprised if it didn't happen. "I would be disappointed," he said.

Martell handles much of the Planning Board interaction, but was unavailable for comment Thursday.

Finally, the question remains unanswered: What will the new beer be called?

"It won't be Martell Brothers," DePiro said with a laugh. Martell said that name was an "easy one to remember" when he set up the company to work toward opening the brew pub, something he said he has been working on "ever since I had my first hand-crafted beer."

And some time in the next year, maybe his brew will provide that same inspiration for someone on Broadway.

Seward Street Apartments

Another sketch site plan had already been in front of the board twice before and "has come a long way," according to Clifford Van Wagner, chairman of the board.

The sketch site plans give planning board members the opportunity to critique a proposal before voting on it and Wednesday the Seward Street Apartments drew some of that criticism from the planning board.

The project is a 57-unit apartment complex consisting of six, two and three-story buildings on Seward and Morgan streets. The apartments range between about 1,000 to 1,800 square feet and one and two floors. Parking is mainly done in one-car garages.

Durland said it lacked the "neighborhood feel," pointing out that it was not clear what was the front of the apartments or the back. "That clarity has always been lacking on this project," she said.

Van Wagner, as well as several other board members suggested the project did not have enough parking, though it met the city's minimum standards. There are 86 spaces. "There just is no parking," Van Wagner said.

The height of the buildings was a problem for the board in previous sketches, but this proposal had less three-story buildings, and came down nearly four feet on the height of its two-story buildings.

That was not lost on the chairman, who described the project as "less intrusive," and said it would be more so if there were no three-story buildings.

"It would be nice to have all (two-story) buildings, but it's just not feasible because we need the units to make the project work," Jared George of Gordan Companies said, because the three-story buildings have more apartments in them.

In the end, the board gave their feedback and said the developers could take their advice or leave it when making their actual site plan proposal. "You've made some improvements, certainly," Van Wagner said. "You still have the opportunity to do another sketch plan."

George, though, said after the meeting said the group would be moving forward on the site plan in the next few months.